Glove stretcher



July 12, 1938. c:l R. cLYDE 2,123,523

GLOVE STRETCH-IER Filed Deo. 2l, 1936 yAttorney Patented July 12, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT GFFiCE 3 Claims.

My present invention relates to an improved glove stretcher for gloves of various kinds including fabric, as cotton or Wool,I washable leather, and the like that are required to be washed on occasions and which, during drying,

must be formed or held in a form that will prevent shrinkage and undersizing of the glove when dry.

The invention involves certain novel features of construction and arrangements to insure that a glove during the drying process or when not worn may be supported on the glove-stretcher in such a manner that the thumb will be positioned in its proper position as upon the hand and whereby no distortion or malformation will occur during the drying process. The stretcher that I have devised is especially adaptable for womens gloves which are frequently washed and dried over night and provision has been made not only for keeping the lingers to the proper dimensions desired and the thumb piece as well, but whereby the wrist portion of the glove is also stretched or sized to the required dimensions.

It is a further object to insure against shrinkage both laterally and lengthwise of the glove and to hold the glove when placed over the stretcher in a manner conforming to its original size before washing. Means are provided for holding the wrist portion in the stretched position by positive contact therewith and in the case of gauntlet gloves of diiierent sizes, means are provided for adjusting the stretcher to match the size of the glove and to assure the proper contour.

Means are also provided whereby the glove when mounted on the stretcher may be suspended or hung to dry without contact with anything that might stain or soil the glove.

In the accompanying drawing I have illustrated one complete example of the physical embodiment of my invention wherein the parts are combined and arranged according to one mode I have thus far devised for the practical application of the principles of my invention and it will be understood that changes and alterations may be made in the exempliiied structures within the scope of my claims without departing from the principles of the invention.

Figure 1 is a plan View of the glove stretcher,

Figure 2 is a similar view showing a glove supported upon the stretcher, and

Figure 3 is a cross section taken on the line 3--3 of Figure 1 of the stretcher.

In order that the general arrangement and relation of parts and the utility of the parts may be readily understood I have indicated a typical glove mounted upon the stretcher to indicate especially the manner of stretching and positioning the thumb to insure that the glove when dry will not be malformed or the glove itself otherwise distorted.

I also show in the illustration the manner of engaging the gauntlet or wrist portion of the glove to hold it on the stretcher and insure against longitudinal shrinkage.

In manufacture I utilize a length of Wire having rust proof qualities and formed of a single length, which forming provides loops iii for the four ngers, these fingers being substantially. parallel and sufliciently separated to conform with the shape of the glove into which it will be inserted.

The fingers are all on substantially the same plane and directly behind the fore-finger formation a sharp turn at Il provides the beginning of the formation of the thumb piece. This thumb piece I2 will conform in size and length with the glove and be further provided with a loop I3 which crosses the bend Il at i4 as best shown in Figure l and the wire is then, after the bend at M, continued substantially in alignment with the outer edge of the fore-lnger forming a shank portion or wrist portion I5 which is bent slightly outward on a long curve to its extreme end at It and at which point a sharp angle of approximately degrees is formed. The balance of this end of wire is carried across to a point where it will overlap the opposite wristforming Wire Il. At the extreme end a turn i8 is made in the wire. The Wire il is also curved after the manner shown in the drawing with a like approximately (iO-degree angle turn made at I9 and the rest of the length of wire is thenv crossed over the opposite wrist portion and terminates in a turned end 2). Thus from a single length of wire or similar material and by the simple method of forming the entire glove stretcher is made without joints and of a single piece that will serve its purpose and provide as well for required adjustments to t gloves of different sizes and different lengths.

In forming the thumb piece it is to be noted that the thumb loop |2-l3 is not in the same plane with the ringer portions but is set at an angle of approximately 30 degrees more or less and in the manner illustrated in Figure 3.

By thus forming the thumb piece at an angle and within the boundaries formed by the fingers, the thumb stretcher portion will conform to the shape of a glove without pulling the seams or distorting the fabric or material from which it is made. In other words, the thumb of the glove when mounted on a stretcher will be in the natural position and drying in that manner will be adaptable for use on the hand without stressing or forming the material by the hands.

The wrist portions I5, II of the stretcher are adjustable to conform to the wrist of the glove and may be positioned and anchored or retained in such manner as will provide a proper stretch or support for the Wrist of the glove, the adjustment being effected by reason of the overlapping manner of forming the end portions 2| and 22 which cross at 23 and rest respectively with frictional engagement against the Wrist portions 'I and I5.

It is to be understood that the Wire or material out of which the stretcher is formed will have a resiliency or spring-like effect yet be subject to a slight bend to make it conform to various sizes of gloves without having to make the stretcher itself in different sizes.

'Iol further insure of a set adjustment when holding the glove the wire at certain contacting points as 24, 25 may be abraded or roughened to prevent slippage from an adjusted position. It is also my intention to abrade the Wrist portion I'I at the surface contacted by the end 2|. Thus if considerable stretch is required when drying a glove or if the material is of such a type that considerable shrinkage takes place and therefore pull is caused on the stretcher, these abrasions in the wire will serve to assist in holding the stretcher in the position adjusted at the time the Wet glove is mounted on the stretcher.

By reference to Figure 2 illustration is made of the glove mounted on the stretcher and showing particularly the end 2| engaging the gauntlet portion of the glove on the back side as 21 and the end 22 engaging the front sides of the gauntlet portion at 28 and contacting therewith to hold the glove against longitudinal shrinkage. The abraded portion of the wire at the crossing 23 serves to hold the set position while contact of the ends 2| and 22 on the fabric of the glove and pressing upon the abraded portions 26 will so engage the material that shrinkage of this sort can not take place. The stretcher also provides two loops formed by the bends I6 and I9 that will allow the glove when on the stretcher to be hung on a hook or the like to permit drying on all sides.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:-

1. In a glove stretcher, a one-piece frame of formed resilient material having finger and Wrist portions in one plane and a thumb portion extending inwardly of the frame and at an angle to the plane of the lingers and of the wrist portion, the extremities of said frame being inturned and interlacing with the Wrist portions and having abraded friction surfaces at points of engagement with each other and with the wrist portions of the frame. 2. In a glove stretcher, a one-piece frame of formed resilient material having finger and Wrist portions in one plane and a thumb portion extending inwar-dly of the frame and at an angle to the plane of the fingers and of the Wrist portions, the extremities of said frame being inturned and interlacing with the Wrist portions and having interlocking friction surfaces at points of engagement with each other and with the glove to provide positive lateral adjustment of the wrist portion and maintain a longitudinal stretch upon the glove.

3. In a glove stretcher, a one piece frame of formed resilient material having finger and Wrist portions in one plane and a thumb portion extending inwardly of the frame and at an angle to the plane of the fingers and of the wrist portion, the extremities of said frame being inturned and resting across each other and across the wrist portion under tension, interlocking abraded areas at the points of contact of the crossed members and at the points on the wrist portions contacted by the crossed members for engaging the glove and maintaining it in stretched position.

CLAUDE R. CLYDE. 

